Stratford High School: New faces among teaching staff at high school

Stratford High School have welcomed 17 new staff members this year. Photo/ Supplied

There are a bunch of new faces at Stratford High School this year and they aren't just students.

Stratford High School are welcoming 17 new staff to their school this year, says principal Cameron Stone.

"We welcomed 15 new staff at a full school pōwhiri at the start of the year and we have two more staff members starting later in the year. We have new teachers, a careers adviser and pathways assistant, librarians, and caretakers starting this year.

"The school has also introduced two new roles. They are literacy support and an academic dean."

Cameron says last year a number of positions were made available.

"We had a number of retirements, three maternity leave positions and two of our staff started a new journey."

He says there are six new first year teachers.

"We really value this as they bring fresh ideas to the school. They've just finished at university and they have a bunch of new ideas they can bring on board.

"We also have two experienced teachers who are bringing the skill sets they have gained by teaching at different schools. One of the staff taught at an all-boys school and the other was in the primary sector."

He says having a teacher from the primary sector is 'valuable'.

"The transition from Year 8 to Year 9 is big. By having a teacher from the sector we are given a wide lens of how we can offer the new students more support. The teacher also brings a set of skills that can help increase the skills of those having difficulty with their learning."

He says the staff are settling in well.

"It's a good learning experience as everyone is learning from each other and sharing their experiences. It's great to have a team who are invested in the community and the school. It's important for the growth of the school."